Syrian troops acting on Bashar al-Assad's orders have reportedly resumed shelling of Homs; just hours before monitors from the United Nations Security Council arrive in the country to oversee an increasingly fragile Libya ceasefire.

As many as 47 innocent civilians have been killed in Syria as former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan left crisis talks in the capital without a deal to end the conflict that has resulted in an estimated 7,500 deaths so far.

Russia has reasserted its backing for Syrian president Bashar Assad as the man to stop the violence between his regime and rebels despite the continued bombardment of the city of Homs and the further diplomatic isolation of Damascus.

Syria's ambassador in London has been called to the Foreign Office so the British government can make clear its 'abhorrence' at the violence in the country, with at least 50 people reportedly killed following a sustained attack on rebel city Homs.